This invention relates to the field of machines for automatically orienting and continuously feeding containers, for example bottles or other hollow articles made from synthetic material, which may be of very different sizes and shapes. This machine is designed for continuous feeding of other machines such as high production filing machines or similar equipment.
Known machines of the type to which the present invention relates may include in general:
a) a hopper of any shape or dimension provided with an opening to receive in bulk containers that fall onto a bottom plane whose edges are at a distance from the side wall of the hopper providing a space allowing the passage of the containers.
b) a structure, provided with displacement means in enclosed circuit, located below the bottom plane, including, fully or in part:
a plurality of detachable container holding elements removable mounted at the periphery of the structure defining between their sides, the edge of the structure, and the hopper wall, a series of recesses adapted to receive containers in a lying position and provided with retaining means for one part of the containers, namely their neck, in such a way as to release them in a predetermined position, usually with the neck upward; PA0 a plurality of discharge chutes provided under the recesses for receiving and transferring the containers, correctly oriented, towards an exit conveyor that feeds, for example, a bottling line;
c) a plane or shelf, which may be adjustable in height, located below the recesses and over the chutes, designed to support at least one main portion of the containers when they are conveyed by the holding elements defining the recesses for receiving and retaining them in a lying position, the plane or shelf being provided with an opening in an unloading area through which the containers drop when moved into position thereover by the container holding elements;
This plane or shelf designed to support at least one main portion of the containers is described in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,368 (NALBACH): lateral fixed plane 82 that provides a support for the bottles during their rotation an has, at the upper part, an opening to pass the bottle that fall, by gravity, in an upright position into a chute located below the opening;
German patent 19 43 372 (HOFFCO): inclined helicoidal shelf 14 to retain the containers body, provided with a passage opening likewise at the higher part;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,209 (MARTI): inclined annular shelf 14 to retain the containers body, provided with a passage opening also at the higher part;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,852 (MARTI): horizontal annular shelf 11 to retain the containers body, provided with a passage opening in an unloading area.
In these different machines, the containers only rest by gravity on the said planes or shelves. As they are essentially light containers their remaining on the said planes is more specifically problematical the higher the speed of the machines is. Thus a limitation of the related machines operating speed and a drop of their efficiencies by a low rate of filling of the related receiving recesses with frequent stops for those of them which have no available device to evacuate the wrongly positioned containers.